Jesus walked. He walked a lot. Always headed somewhere for someone, but never in a hurry. Always busy but never rushing. He wandered and meandered (like a pilgrim), prayed and taught (like a Master). Son of Man, Son of God. Roving and loving. The Way stopped along the way because no one was ever in the way. He doubled back and backtracked but was never sidetracked. He passed by and […]
For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ (2 Cor 4.6). We could define generations by the new terms and catchphrases they (bit)coin. We could almost trace history solely using Oxford’s additions to its dictionary. The War. The Crash. The Bomb. The Pill. Watergate. […]
In November 2016 I tagged along with a Catalyst Missions team to Kupang, Indonesia (across the Timor Sea from Australia). Indonesia is as beautiful as it is Muslim. In fact, at 200 million adherents it’s the largest Muslim populated country on earth. It was my first ever international trip, much less international missions trip. I was like a newborn discovering for the first time details that soon become familiar. It wasn’t just an […]
Zacharias was an old man (Lk 1.7). A really old man (Lk 1.18). His wife was also, shall he say, “advanced in years.” (That’s a good lesson for godly husbands. We may get old but our wives only “advance in years.”) Having a child at their age was biologically impossible. We could excuse Zacharias for being skeptical. But, God didn’t. Gabriel muted him for nine-plus months (Lk 1.20). Zacharias had […]
“But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be […]
It’s that time of year again. Resolutions. The New Year welcomes full gyms and empty bank accounts. For many Christians it also brings more attention to Bible-reading/devotional plans and “quiet time” discipline. I certainly hope to be more diligent in that respect. The quiet time has become stock language for Christians. By it we mean that dedicated times and spaces where we meet alone with God in Scripture and prayer. Drawing […]
“. . . and the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth he might devour her child. And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne” (Rev 12.4-5). For nearly 200 years we have loved the […]
I didn’t vote for Donald Trump. We live in a “red” state where the Republican candidate could’ve spared 650,000 third-party votes without affecting the outcome. We could’ve helped loosen the media’s stranglehold on the two-party system. And we could’ve helped to field more promising candidates in 2020. In reality, a vote for Trump in Tennessee was 2/3 wasted instead of 100% useful for electing a good president. But, that’s not my […]
“In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking him and saying, ‘He saved others; he cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him. HE TRUSTS IN GOD; LET GOD RESCUE him now, IF HE DELIGHTS IN HIM; for He said, “I am the Son of God.”‘” (Mt 27.41–43) Tell me if […]
Tradition suggests bronze or chili pepper roses for our 19th wedding anniversary. We certainly don’t need another bronze sculpture. You’re not one for chili peppers or flowers so chili pepper roses seemed especially uninspiring. And you’d rather get your fine jewelry from Target’s clearance rack. So, what’s a husband to do? This husband can offer what he does least worst: words. Lots of words. They may not be as hot or spicy, but I pray […]